> If we want to have Brutalism as a valid design approach for the web, we first need to decide on what exactly the word means. Otherwise it will just become...
What's brutal about that though? Instead of "design by committees", do it brutally.
Instead of A/B testing: throw it onto the screen.
Instead of slick: rough.
People will find the link that you want them to click, even when you are using design principles that are uncommon or "not like Google".
A long as you are honest. And perhaps also brutal.
Sweden is also like that. You usually have to linger for two months before leaving after you've quit.
> what are they going to do if you don't show up
They will simply not pay you.
What you do when you're deep into a project like the OP describes is to quit your job by telling your manager that he's the worst you have ever worked for. Then one of three things happen:
1. He/she asks me to stick around for two months. I do and get paid regular salary during.
2. He says "hey, if you want to leave today, that's fine with me". I do but I wont get any more pay checks.
3. They are offended by my critique and says "walk away from you computer right now and never come back". I get paid for two months without having to work.
When #3 happens it's excellent because you will have two months of pay and enough time to find a new job if your resignation was in the spur of the moment. And no need to worry about bad references. When my up and coming boss calls my last horrible boss, someone who I happily divorced, things will work out fine.
Even though (middle?) managers are usually full of prestige and are quite easily offended, #3 has happened to me only once.
Although most don't, I try to utilize or take advantage of the system to the max in my quest to find a decent work place/project. I job hop a lot.
To me what changed with Facebook was that the local address book that I had on my phone became a tree in a central graph owned by a company and I was fine giving out that information. Today who could muster up the trust needed for me to let them know about everyone I know? I think no such company exists or ever will.
I have no social internet accounts left except for this one. I even recently deleted my Linkedin account even though that is bad for my career (?). I just don't want to feel raped all the time. I keep getting Linkedin-ish head-hunting emails though but I'm sure that'll clear up in a year or so.
If I'm ever socializing again on the internet, give me something that doesn't rape me in the *. Otherwise I'm fine just socializing IRL.
I hope we are a void and that something new is about to happen.
It might just be a matter of preference but to me Outlook.com is an attempt to webify Outlook The Desktop Client, which was horrible to start with. But they made it worse than the desktop app.
An example: while searching in your Outlook.com "client" it enters a new state, the search state. When you are done searching there is a left arrow in the navigation panel which you can click to go back to the "normal" state of things. Awkward.
I'm a longtime Windows user, familiar with Microsoft user interfaces, but to me there is nothing to love about Outlook.com.
I agree with your critique. This is just a hunch but I don't think they are ahead:
- Outlook.com must be one of the worst web apps there is. Compared to Gmail it's just plain awful.
- Sharepoint is decidedly one of the worst pieces of software ever built, that is if you are a developer. If you are an editor/content manager then it is possible it's just fine.
> If we want to have Brutalism as a valid design approach for the web, we first need to decide on what exactly the word means. Otherwise it will just become...
What's brutal about that though? Instead of "design by committees", do it brutally.
Instead of A/B testing: throw it onto the screen.
Instead of slick: rough.
People will find the link that you want them to click, even when you are using design principles that are uncommon or "not like Google".
A long as you are honest. And perhaps also brutal.